Tower of London’s ravens make Friday 13th lucky for the Queen

The superstitious have extra reason to curse their luck today.

Not only is Friday the 13th an inauspicious day, but 2012 will be unlucky too. Today is the first of three Friday the 13ths that will fall this year.

One Londoner who takes precautions to avoid bad luck is the Queen. Her Beefeaters at the Tower of London keep six ravens. Legend says that if the ravens leave the Tower, the monarch and kingdom will fall.

If you can’t afford the trip to the Tower, other birds could bring you luck today. Kingfisher feathers are said to bring health and happiness. Kingfishers are common in London, particularly along the Regent’s Canal through the East End.

A blackbird nesting on your roof is said to be lucky but wildlife charity the RSPB says numbers of blackbirds in London have fallen in recent years.

Martin Harper, the RSPB’s director of conservation, said: “Why not increase your chances of good luck by visiting an RSPB reserve this weekend? Don’t let Friday the 13th get you down, get outdoors and let nature banish those January blues.”